


Cadence

by doppeldonger



Series: Ships from the Borderlands [7]
Category: Borderlands (Video Games), borderlands 2 - Fandom
Genre: F/F, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 05:24:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10847340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doppeldonger/pseuds/doppeldonger
Summary: The Vault Hunters save Angel and Gaige gets to spend time with her while they're running away from Hyperion.





	Cadence

**Author's Note:**

> For idlenight on tumblr!

The setting sun dances with the full moon across the darkening sky as the day slowly comes to an end. The lingering moments of the dusk paint the heavens in shades of violet, bringing a cool and fresh breeze along. At this particular time in Pandora’s 90-hour daily cycle, everything seems to have come to an abrupt, albeit peaceful halt; the gathering clouds and the way the air smells are clear signs of upcoming rain, telling the creatures and the residents alike to hide and wait.

For the people populating the little town currently floating above the foliage covering the hills of The Highlands, however, the quietude and stillness encompassing them like the region’s ever-existing fog actually originates from something other than the weather itself.

 _They saved her_. Handsome Jack is after them- the vault hunters have put the lives of innocent people taking refuge on Sanctuary in danger along with their own lives at this point. The city’s shield is up, fending off whatever mortar the Eye of Helios is hurling at them; but for how long, they don’t know. Lilith can’t say anything, but she meticulously recharges the shield every hour. Scooter has no idea either, but he comes along with the siren and checks the mechanisms, just as carefully as his partner. The city trembles and stutters every time Handsome Jack pounds on the little bubble of electricity and siren magic protecting Sanctuary; he’s relentless and persistent, but then again, so are they.

_And they have her._

Thunder crackles through the sky somewhere close by and rain announces its grand arrival with a few cool droplets of clear water. People hide under makeshift umbrellas and wait patiently.

Inside the headquarters, Roland, Axton and Maya fervently discuss the possible actions they could take while Salvador, Krieg and Brick cheer on, hoping that whatever decision comes up, it involves beating up bad people. Zer0 and Mordecai are out, under the starry sky weeping onto the lonely city, sweeping the skies for any unexpected attack and wishing they could actually take down Helios with mere sniper rifles. Lilith and Scooter walk through the city center with tools and eridium nuggets in hand and a chatty Claptrap in tow.

That leaves Gaige _with her_.

Don’t get her wrong, she ain’t complaining. She just has complicated feelings about the young woman sitting across from her. On the one hand, Gaige can’t shake the feeling of the utter betrayal she felt when Angel helped her father lower Sanctuary’s shields (and how she could do it again right now with a flick of her wrist, probably); on the other hand, she knows the siren was helpless and constantly abused.

Also, _she’s not blind, for god’s sake_. Angel’s the prettiest thing she’s ever seen in her life with her big, bright blue eyes peeking through her inky locks, her sad smile, tender voice and shy attitude. Gaige pouts, crossing her arms uneasily before getting up to pace the dingy room silently. The siren is silent and unmoving, calm as the rain washing the city’s streets; her curious eyes watching the red-haired girl are the only indication that she’s very much alert. Gaige walks away from Angel, and towards her; her restless pacing continues for a few more minutes until the mechromancer can’t take it and lets out a frustrated groan, “How can you be so calm?!”

The sudden outburst startles Angel, making her recoil a bit; Gaige notices it and mentally curses at herself before apologizing out loud. “Sorry, sorry… Didn’t mean to scare you, I’m just… This whole thing’s so surreal and scary for me, and I can’t even imagine how you must be feeling; but you’re just sitting there…”

_So calm. So passive._

Come to think of it, that’s how Angel’s always been. They must be around the same age, but Angel seems so mature and composed compared to Gaige. The siren is like the night and rain- cool and collected, shy and silent; the mechromancer, on the other hand, is like the day and the sun- hot and unabashed, loud and rash.

Gaige huffs. She crosses her arms and sits across from Angel, who gives her a small smile. The siren rubs her arms and speaks for the first time since they rescued her, “It’s okay. I guess… I guess I’m at that point where you’re so stressed that you’re calm?” She holds her knees close, trying to make herself as small as possible. “This is the first time I breathe actual oxygen that’s not artificially created, the first time I felt something other than Hyperion marble under my feet…” Her eyes fall to the ground, “First time I’m away from… _him_ -“ She chokes on the lump in her throat, tears filling her eyes. A sob escapes her lips as thunder is heard outside once again, “First time I’m… free.”

Gaige decides Angel is fascinating. Strong, smart and beautiful. She can feel her face getting hotter and hotter with every passing moment, so she opts for abruptly getting up and offering a hand to the other girl. Angel looks up at Gaige questioningly, her eyes still shining with tears; the redhead smiles in a way she hopes is genuine and encouraging, “Come with me.”

“Where?”

“Outside.”

“Why?” She sounds skeptical, but she’s already getting up, so Gaige counts that as a win. She grins down at the siren.

“You’ve never been out of that control core, have you?” Angel shakes her head, her face falling, “So… That means you never saw rain, or were in it!” Gaige is quick to amend Angel’s sadness with her comment; she shakes her head again, but with a tiny smile this time. She holds the taller girl’s hand tightly and she can’t deny her face is just as hot as the mechromancer’s. “You don’t mind the contact, right?” Gaige asks, motioning at their intertwined fingers.

“No,” Angel replies, and they start heading for the door. _Not with you_.

As they step in the rain with nothing but the clothes on their backs, they’re freer than they’ve ever been in their lives. They stand face to face, hair sticking to their faces, and hold hands with big, bright smiles. Huge clouds fly by, occasionally obscuring the night sky; Gaige pulls Angel close and twirls them around- something Angel is doing for the first time in her life. As they dance around in the rain, they’re giggling like little kids they’ve never been; without a care or worry in the world.

Getting dizzy, Angel pauses, forcing Gaige to stop jumping around like a wild little Skag pup. Chests rising and falling in time with their quickened breaths, they look up at Helios while still holding hands. The attacks have stopped as if Handsome Jack noticed his daughter on the edge of the city he’s failed to destroy; Gaige squeezes Angel’s hand and the siren stands a bit taller.

Sanctuary slowly emerges from the heavy clouds and escapes the rain, the cool breeze still leaving trails of fresh air behind. Under the countless stars and planets blinking lazily down at them, Angel and Gaige turn to look at each other; they’re still beyond that particular point of nervousness that keeps them relatively calm, but now they feel hopeful and loved. Angel takes a daring step and wraps her pale arms around Gaige’s neck, the mechromancer gasps, surprised, but quickly returns the gesture. They bury their wide eyes and silly smiles in each other’s shoulders happily, holding onto one another like a lifeline; they leave their fears and worries behind for the night, finding sanctuary in each other’s embrace.

It’s only long minutes later that a very reluctant Lilith approaches them, ushering them inside and scolding them like a worried mother that they will probably get sick. Angel watches with a huge grin brightening her face as Gaige interrupts the siren’s tirade to inform her that they could always a day off for bed rest.

“We don’t even have enough beds to house two rascals like you!” Lilith chides half-heartedly, barely hiding her own smile.

“We can always share a bed, Gaige. Don’t worry.”

If Angel runs inside as fast as her barely-used legs can carry her to hide away in shame, and if Gaige follows to join her, no one mentions the moment of awkward teens slowly falling for each other. It seems Pandora hides love and happiness in her nooks and crannies along with hope.

**Author's Note:**

> It's raining here today, feels nice.


End file.
